Response Compression

Documentation Index

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• Response size: Only compresses responses larger than 500 bytes
• Client support: Checks the Accept-Encoding header to determine supported compression methods
• Compression efficiency: Only applies compression if it actually reduces the response size

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Supported Compression Algorithms

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How It Works

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Automatic Compression

1. Checks response size: Only compresses responses larger than 500 bytes
2. Parses client preferences: Reads the Accept-Encoding header to determine supported methods
3. Selects best method: Chooses the fastest supported compression algorithm
4. Validates compression: Only applies if the compressed size is smaller than the original
5. Sets headers: Adds appropriate Content-Encoding and Vary headers

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Compression Flow

Request → Check Size (>500 bytes) → Parse Accept-Encoding → 
Select Best Algorithm → Compress → Validate → Return Compressed Response

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Client Preferences

Accept-Encoding: lz4, gzip, deflate

• Prioritizes client-preferred methods
• Falls back to supported methods if preferences aren’t available
• Uses wildcard (*) support for maximum compatibility

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Benefits

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Performance Improvements

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Automatic Optimization

• No configuration required: Compression is automatic and transparent
• Smart fallback: Automatically uses the best available method
• Size validation: Only compresses when it actually helps
• Header management: Properly sets compression headers for client compatibility

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Usage

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Standard HTTP Requests

curl -H "x-api-key: your-api-key" \
     -H "Accept-Encoding: lz4, gzip" \
     https://api.swarms.world/v1/agent/completions

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Client Libraries

import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.swarms.world/v1/agent/completions",
    headers={
        "x-api-key": "your-api-key",
        "Accept-Encoding": "lz4, gzip"
    },
    json={"task": "Your task here"}
)

# Response is automatically decompressed by requests library
data = response.json()

const response = await fetch('https://api.swarms.world/v1/agent/completions', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'x-api-key': 'your-api-key',
    'Accept-Encoding': 'lz4, gzip',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({ task: 'Your task here' })
});

// Response is automatically decompressed by fetch API
const data = await response.json();

curl -H "x-api-key: your-api-key" \
     -H "Accept-Encoding: lz4, gzip" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{"task": "Your task here"}' \
     https://api.swarms.world/v1/agent/completions

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Response Headers

Content-Encoding: lz4
Content-Length: 1234
Vary: Accept-Encoding

• Content-Encoding: Indicates the compression method used
• Content-Length: Shows the compressed size (smaller than original)
• Vary: Indicates that the response varies based on Accept-Encoding

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Compression Statistics

• Original response size
• Compressed response size
• Compression ratio achieved
• Algorithm used

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Best Practices

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1. Include Accept-Encoding Header

Accept-Encoding: lz4, gzip, deflate

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2. Let Clients Handle Decompression

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3. Monitor Response Sizes

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4. Use Modern Clients

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Technical Details

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Minimum Size Threshold

• Compression overhead may exceed benefits for tiny responses
• Network latency is typically the bottleneck for small payloads
• Configurable threshold optimized for API responses

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Compression Method Selection

1. Client preference match: Uses client’s preferred method if supported
2. Fastest available: Falls back to fastest available method (LZAV → LZ4 → GZip)
3. Wildcard support: If client accepts *, uses our preferred order
4. No compression: Returns uncompressed if no method is supported

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Error Handling

• Original uncompressed response is returned
• No error is raised to the client
• Compression failure is logged for monitoring
• Client receives valid response regardless

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Compatibility

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Browser Support

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API Clients

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Summary

• Reduces bandwidth usage by compressing responses
• Improves response times through smaller payloads
• Works transparently with no configuration needed
• Supports multiple algorithms (LZAV, LZ4, GZip)
• Respects client preferences via Accept-Encoding header
• Validates compression to ensure actual size reduction
• Compatible with all clients that support standard HTTP compression